Australia to take teen social media ban plan global, despite Wiggles' complaints
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed on Wednesday he would hold an event in New York in September to coincide with a United Nations meeting, after the government defied threats from YouTube's parent company to sue if the site was included in the ban.
Communications Minister Anika Wells confirmed the chief executive of children's music superstars The Wiggles, Kate Chiodo, was brought in to advocate against barring children under 16 from logging in to the platform.
'For clarity, it was the black skivvies, Wiggles Inc, Wiggles management, not individual members of our cherished national icon the Wiggles,' Wells said on Wednesday.
The prime minister added: 'We're not here to sledge the Wiggles. Let's be very clear, my government is pro-Wiggle'.
YouTube Kids will escape the social media ban, but the main platform will be included in the ban along with sites such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X and Snapchat. The ban is set to start on December 10.
The prime minister said advocacy groups that campaigned for the ban, including 36 Months and Let Them Be Kids, would be part of the event in New York in September.
'We will continue to advocate, this is our position, it is up to other nations what they do, but I know from the discussions I have had with other leaders, that they are looking at this,' he said.
Albanese remained unfazed when asked about US President Donald Trump's close relationship with the tech giants, confirming the social media ban had not come up in conversations between him and the president.
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